Improvement in addressing-machines



R. DICK.

ADDRESSING-MACHINE,

No.170,068." Patentgd Nov.16,1:875.

MPEFERS, PMOTO-LIYNDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D C4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF cE.

ROBERT DICK, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN ADDRESSING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 170,068, dated November 16, 1875; application filed July 1, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT DICK, of the city of Buffalo, in'the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in AddressingMachines, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain improvements upon a machine for attaching labels or addresses to newspapers, periodicals, and other articles, for which Letters Patent were granted to me October 4, 1859, and May 7, 1867, to which reference is here made for a description of my said machine.

In theaceompanying drawing, Figure l is a vertical section of my improved mailing-macatch for securing the pivoted reelframe in position.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in each of the figures.

M is the hollow case or shell of my improved machine, left open at the top, and consisting of a rectangular bottom, triangular sides, and

a rectangular end plate. Within this case is arranged an endless belt, N, passing around a roughened propelling-roller, 0, two guiderollers, 2 and 3, and a weighted or tension roller, 1', as clearly shown in Fig. l. K is the paste-chamber, of substantially the form of the case M, the front portion of said chamber being covered by the inclined plate is. N is the paste-distributer, arranged in contact with the belt N in the rear part of the shell. Q is the stationary blade attached to the forward end of the ease, and P the movable blade, hinged at one end to the stationary blade Q, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The propellingroller() is provided with a thumbpiece, O, by which it is rotated, whereby the web of labels or addresses resting on the endless belt is intermittently movedforward, so asto carry the labels between the shears, bywhieh they are successively severed and affixed to the newspapers or other articles. R is a spiral spring suspended from a standard, S, and connected with the movable blade P, for returning it to its open or elevated position. A A represent two upright metallic strips, arranged on the inner side of the side pieces of the shell M, and having bearings formed in their upper wide ends, in which the journals of the guiderollers 2 and 3 turn, while their lower portions are arranged at such a distance apart that the journals of the tension-roller 1 are guided between the same. The strips A A project above the guide-rollers 2 and 3, and below the tension-roller 1, so as to confine the belt between them and prevent it from rubbing against the side pieces of the shell, thereby avoiding excessive friction and saving space in the width of the machine. B represents the U-shaped j frame, in which the reel or bobbin which contains the web of labels is supported. It is cross-piece b, when the frame B is in its proper position, thereby preventing the latter from being accidentally raised. The cross-piece?) is preferably provided on its upper side with a projection, D to limit the outward movement of the spring N. The frame B is released, in an obvious manner, by pressing back the spring b.

When the machine is in operation, the frame? B is arranged in a downwardly-inclined position, as shown in Fig. 1, while when it is not i in use, or when required to be packed for shipping, the frame 15' may be swung forward over the shell, to reduce the length of the machine, as indicated by dotted lines in the same figure.

J is one of the spools or bobbins upon which the web of labels is wound. It is arranged loosely on an axial tube or sleeve, j, so as to be laterally adjustable thereon, and secured to the frame B after placing the tube j between the side pieces-or jaws thereof bya pin, j, passing through the frame and the tube j. The bobbin is readily detached from the frame by withdrawing the pin j, when it can be removed from the tube and another bobbin slipped thereon.

This construction renders the bobbins readily interchangeable, and permits each mailroute to be reeled into a disk on its own bobbin, so as to be ready for use when required, thereby enabling the operator to catch mails which otherwise would be lost. The bobbin being laterally adjustable on the tube j, it is readily placed in that position which enables the web to pass to the shears at the most favorable point for cutting.

I I- are two reel-guards, constructed of wire, and having their ends bent in the form of a crank or shoulder, as clearly shown in the drawing. The ends of the guards I are inserted in holes drilled in the cross-piece b and end piece of the frame B, at a short distance from the sides, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. By turning the guards I in the sockets they are adjusted to a greater or less distance from each other, according to the width of the web used or the position of the bobbin on the tube j. The impinging of the ends of the guards I against their sockets, and of the shoulders against the end piece of the reelframe, retains the wires I firmly in position, so as to properly hold the bobbin after it is adjusted on the axial tube. L represents a duplex guide for conducting the web of labels from the reel upon the endless belt. It is constructed by bending a wire so as to form two loops, one of the width of the widest web, and one of less width, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The guide L is pivoted with its ends in the side pieces of the shell, in the highest angle thereof, so as to be swung down toward the belt when the machine is in operation, or to be thrown backward out of the way, leaving the space between the belt and the rear plate of the shell unobstructed when paste is required to be supplied to the fountain. H is a guide or bridge piece, arranged in the angle or space between the propelling-roller O and stationary blade Q. It consists of a wire eX- tending across the mouth of the machine, then doubled back horizontally to the other side of the machine, where it is doubled back again vertically for a short distance, so as to form a hook, which prevents the web from running off outwardly, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and also prevents the web from being raised by the ascending blade. The guide H is pivoted to the right-hand side of the machine, so as to be swung out of the way when the parts are required to be cleaned.

The stationary blade Q is secured to the front end or mouth of the shell in the following manner: G is a metallic plate, preferably made of brass, secured to the rear side of the blade Q by bending up its edge at right angles, and soldering the outer portions G thereof-to the blade, as shown in Fig. 5, while the central portion G of the flange so formed,

and of a length equal to the width of the and plate G are placed against the shell, the" flange G will engage against the rear side of the strip g.

The'blade Q, being mounted as above de-, scribed, is secured to the shell by inserting the front portion of the latter between the plate G and flange G, when the flange G will, by reason of the elasticity of the plate G, ride over the strip 9, and engage against the rear side of the latter. The flange G I prevents vertical displacement, and the flange G and strip g horizontal displacement, of the a blade Q, thus securing the latter firmly to the shell.

shell, when required to be reground or tempered, by inserting a sharpened wire or other pointed instrument between the plate G and strip g, so as to spring the former down sufficiently to disconnect the flange G from the strip g. E is the motor-arm, preferably constructed of brass wire, and pivoted with its rear end in a tube secured across the lowerrear portion of the shell. At the point where it leaves the shell the arm E is bent forward, and then runs in a straight line, or nearly so, to a point in line with the blade P, from where it is curved or bent around the front part of the machine to about the center line of the machine, where it is doubled back vertically upon itself, as shown. at- E, to a point in line with the blade Q, where it is again doubled back vertically, so as to form a pivot, e. In its normal position the front portion of the motor-arm projects a short distance below the bottom of the shell. F is the stamping-lever, provided at one end with an eye engaging on the pivot e, while its opposite end is doubled back, so as to form a hook, which engages in an eye or tube, f, secured to the upper side of the blade I, and serves to retain the parts together, as shown in Fig. 3. The doubling back of the front portion of the motor-arm greatly increases the strength thereof, and better enables the pivot e, which is provided with a-shoulder, e, to press the eye of the lever F forward as the machine is operated, so as to keep the cutting-blades in proper contact for severing the labels from the web. The front portion of the motor-arm does not project above the cutting mechanism, and conse.

The blade Q is readily detached from the i remorse s quently permits an unobstructed view of the latter, as well as of the web of labels, and the articles to which they are affixed. G represents the handle of the machine, preferably constructed of sheet metal, secured to a wire frame, 0, the ends of which form pivots c 0 fitting in sleeves 0 secured to the left-hand side of the shell.

The end of the rear pivot c is extended downwardly at right angles to the plane of the handle, so as to support the latter in its normal position, projecting horizontally from the side of the machine. The lower end of the extended pivot c is flattened out, so as to engage under or back of a round or inclined catch 0 as the handle is swun down and a 7 g a lock the same in position. Upon releasing the arm of the pivot c from the catch c the handle is readily swung over upon the shell, to reduce the width of the machine when the latter is required to be packed for shipping. The front edge of the handle 0 is preferably bent down over the wire frame in the form of a scroll, so as to be comfortably grasped by the hand. D is the loop or armlet by which the machine is attached to the left arm of the operator. It is pivoted to the upper rear corner of the shell, and bent over to the left-hand ,side, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, to prevent the .arm from hiding or covering the greater portion of the web of labels. The paste-chamber K, extending under the'inclined platelc to the front end of the shell, is of greater capacity than in the machines heretofore in use, while at the same time the plate It prevents the paste from running out of the chamber when the machine is held in a vertical position with the mouth downward, as, for instance, in hanging by the armlet D on the arm of the operator.

The operation of the invention. is as follows: The bobbin, withthe web of labels, being secured in the frame B, and properly adjusted upon the tube j, and the guards I being set to properly guide the reel, the end of the web is drawn over the top of the rear plate of the machine, and either through the narrow or 7 under the wide loop of the guide L, as the width of the web may require. The operator,

putting his left arm through the loop D, seizes movement is transmitted by the lever F to the blade P, so as to depress the same, forcing it down upon the projecting label, which is thereby severed from the Web and stamped or affixed to the newspaper or other article. The right hand of the operator is free to remove the papers as fast as the labels are aflixed thereto.

What I claim as my invention isl. The combination, with the shell M, endless belt N, and rollers l, 2, and 3, of the guidebearings A A, constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. The combination, with the shell M, of the reel-frame B, hinged thereto, and provided with stop 12 and catch b substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. The combination, with the shell M, pro-- vided with shoulder or strip g, and the stationary blade Q, of the plate G, secured to the latter, and provided with flanges G G, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

4. The combination, with the shell M, supportingarmlet D, and endless belt N, of the paste-fountain K, provided with inclined plate 7c, constructed and arranged as hereinbefore set forth.

5. The combination, with the shell M, provided with catch 0 of the hinged handle 0, provided with locking-stop c substantiallyas and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

. ROBERT DICK. Witnesses:

JNO. J. BONNER, EDWARD WILHELM. 

